Settlement reached in lawsuit over WW II veteran's death

Park Forest police Officer Craig Taylor outside the Markham courthouse during his 2015 trial, in which he was aquitted of reckless conduct in the death 95-year-old John Wrana Jr.

Park Forest police Officer Craig Taylor outside the Markham courthouse during his 2015 trial, in which he was aquitted of reckless conduct in the death 95-year-old John Wrana Jr. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

The family of a 95-year-old World War II vet, who died in July 2013 after a Park Forest police officer fired beanbag rounds at him when he threatened police with a knife, has agreed to a settlement of a federal lawsuit against the officer and the village, according to court documents.

Sharon Mangerson, stepdaughter of John Wrana Jr., filed the wrongful death complaint in June 2014, seeking $5 million in damages and alleging, among other things, that Wrana's civil rights were violated. She is the executor of her stepfather's estate.

Park Forest has agreed to pay a total of $1.1 million, with $800,000 of that covering legal fees and other costs incurred by attorneys representing Mangerson and the balance going to family members, according to court filings. The federal judge overseeing the case, Amy St. Eve, signed off on the settlement agreement May 12, according to a filing.

Nicholas Grapsas, the family's lead attorney in the matter, said Monday he could not comment on the settlement, in part because no final written order had yet been entered.

John H. Blakey Center for Seniors/Handout

John Wrana, 95, was killed in an altercation with south suburban police.

John Wrana, 95, was killed in an altercation with south suburban police. (John H. Blakey Center for Seniors/Handout)

Craig Taylor, the police officer who fired the beanbag rounds, was acquitted in February 2015 by a Cook County Circuit Court judge of a single count of felony reckless conduct in connection with the shooting.

As part of the settlement of the Mangerson complaint, which, along with the village, named Taylor and other officers as defendants, none of the defendants admits to liability or wrongful conduct in connection with Wrana's death. Mangerson and her attorneys had previously accused police of using unreasonable force in subduing Wrana, who was just weeks shy of his 96th birthday.

On the night of July 26, 2013, Park Forest police were dispatched to the Victory Centre of Park Forest, an assisted-living center where Wrana resided, after Wrana refused to be taken by ambulance to a hospital for treatment of what the center staff believed was a urinary tract infection. His family said the infection was likely behind his erratic behavior. Wrana had previously lived with Mangerson, who served as his caretaker, but was moved to Victory Centre after Mangerson's own health problems made it impossible for her to care for him.

According to testimony and evidence presented at Taylor's trial, officers had twice gone into Wrana's room, only to retreat after he threatened them — first with a long-handled shoehorn then later with a knife with a 7-inch blade that he held over his head.

Officers, led by Cmdr. Michael Baugh, again entered Wrana's room, with Baugh carrying a shield and Taser, according to testimony. After Wrana refused Baugh's command to drop the knife, the commander fired the Taser, but the prongs missed Wrana, evidence during the trial showed.

Taylor twice ordered Wrana to drop the knife, and when he didn't, the officer fired the beanbag rounds, with four striking the elderly man. Rounds hit him in the abdomen as well as the hand in which he held the knife.

Wrana died five hours later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn after refusing surgery to repair an intestine that was torn and other injuries that caused massive internal bleeding, according to testimony. His death was ruled a homicide.

Prosecutors argued during the bench trial in front of Cook County Associate Judge Luciano Panici that officers had rushed to judgment the night they were called to Wrana's room, deciding within minutes to undertake a "violent extrication" that led to the man's death.

At his trial, Taylor testified that he feared for his life and those of his fellow officers when Wrana took a shuffling step toward them with the knife raised. Panici agreed that the use of force was not unreasonable.

Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune

Sharon Mangerson holds a photo of her stepfather John Wrana. She has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit she brought over his July 2013 death.

Sharon Mangerson holds a photo of her stepfather John Wrana. She has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit she brought over his July 2013 death. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

"He was faced with an advancing individual with a knife over his head, threatening to kill him and his fellow police officers," Panici said in acquitting Taylor. "There was nothing criminal about his actions."

A version of this article appeared in print on May 24, 2016, in the News section of the Chicago Tribune with the headline "Park Forest settles suit over veteran's death - Officer fired beanbag rounds at elderly man" —
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